Republican Leader Attacks U.S. Policy of “wooing” the Arabs

July 19, 1954

WASHINGTON (Jul. 18)

The Republican Administration’s policy of supporting Arab dictators was criticized here today in a statement on the U.S. Foreign Aid program issued by Senator William Langer, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who is himself an outstanding Republican leader.

Declaring that Secretary of State John Foster Dulles “woos dictators,” Sen. Langer said: “consider the wholly ill-advised jaunt of Secretary Dulles, symbolized by his presentation of a nickel-plated revolver to the Egyptian strongman, General Naguib, in the name of the American President, Dwight Eisenhower. Has not the world seen the pictures of this small-time dictator brandishing this absurd weapon?”

Pointing out that Egypt did not lift a hand in its defense when Rommel threw his legions at Cairo and Alexandria and that Egypt “was thrown back on its heels by the untrained regiments of poorly armed little Israel during the latter’s war for independence,” Senator Langer asked: “can anyone find in these ill-considered, childlike actions any justification for faith in Mr. Dulles and in the future?”